


A Love Triangle With The Same Person

by Chrystie, kate882



Category: Batman - All Media Types, DCU, DCU (Comics), Nightwing (Comics), Under the Red Hood
Genre: Identity Porn, M/M, secret identity shenanigans
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-08
Updated: 2018-09-08
Packaged: 2019-07-08 16:12:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15933956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chrystie/pseuds/Chrystie, https://archiveofourown.org/users/kate882/pseuds/kate882
Summary: Dick might have a bit of a thing for Jason, one of Red Hood's criminal underlings. But he's also already a little in love with Red Hood.





	A Love Triangle With The Same Person

Dick had been hoping to catch the Red Hood with the trap he’d set near where a big drug meetup was supposed to be happening. He wasn’t really expecting to catch what he had to presume to be one of Red’s lackeys, because he figured the man would want to scope out the location himself. He usually did, after all.

But the guy hanging upside down from the electrified wire around his ankle wasn’t wearing Red Hood gear. In fact, if it weren’t for the mask Dick might have thought he’d caught a civilian. A civilian with killer abs from what he could see before the man tried to haul himself upwards and his shirt slipped back down.

“Fucking-shit- damnit!” He dropped back to hanging again, mouth tilted in a pained frown. And then he spotted Dick and the lenses on his mask narrowed. “Well are you planning to just leave me up here or what, birdie?”

“Maybe? I kinda like the view from here, and let’s be honest, if I let you down, you’re just going to tell Red that I’m here, and we can’t have that.”

“How do you know I haven’t already?” The man asked definitely, hauling himself up again, but a few seconds later he was dropping again with another string of pained curses.

There was no way he could’ve, not while Dick had been watching him the entire time. “I guess you’re right; even more reason to leave you there and maybe ask some questions.”

“I’m sure you’ll understand if I’m not inclined to answer them from this position.”

“Well I am very inclined to just watch you, like I said, the view’s not bad from here.”

“Creep,” he muttered, trying again to untie the wire around his ankle. His hands were definitely going to need some time to heal. Dick could see electrical burns forming where he kept touching the wire. “Dammit!” He was almost certainly glaring at Dick from behind his mask.

Okay so maybe this was starting to eat at his conscience a bit. “I never really expected Red to not do his own scouting. Sucks that you fell into the trap for him.”

“Yes that makes it so much better. I’m being held hostage and I’m not even the intended victim.” Dick could just hear the eye roll in his voice.

“We could wait for the intended victim together if you called him. I know it might not completely seem like it from, well, this, but I do like seeing Red whenever I can.”

“I’m not helping you catch him; so you might as well just disable this thing so I can get down already.” And then he was giving Dick a considering look that he didn’t like. “Or, I guess I could just keep doing this,” and maybe he’d let it show too well that he was feeling a little bad about the electric shocks because the man was trying again and he almost actually started to loosen it before the pain got so bad he had to let go with a barely muffled shout and cradle his hands close to his chest.

“Okay, okay, stop,” Dick hated losing from his conscience. “I’ve got some burn cream too so don’t run once you’re down.”

He ignored the smug look on the man’s face as he got him down and tried not to wince at the thud he made when he landed. “You’d never survive dealing with someone getting tortured,” he was informed as the man watched him wearily.

“I like to hope that I’ll never have to actually torture someone. I’m more of a kick ass in the moment kind of guy,” Dick pulled out the burn cream from his belt, something he started to carry around after a few too many instances with explosions. “Mind letting me see your hands?”

“I do actually. Greatly. I have no idea what’s in that,” he answered, which showed a level of paranoia that could rival Red Hood’s. Maybe he trained all of his men to be like that.

With a sigh, Dick pulled off his glove and squeezed a small amount on the back of his hand and rubbed it in to show that it was fine. He remembered having to do something similar the first time he offered Red Hood coffee. Not that Red had taken it, given his refusal to remove the helmet, but he’d tried to offer at least, and had sipped from both cups to prove they weren’t poisoned. “It’s mostly aloe vera.”

“Then you can toss it over here. I’m not offering you my hands so you can try to cuff me.”

“Yeah, I’m going to throw something into your burnt hands. I’m not going to cuff you.” But Dick still got no movement from him.

“I don’t even have anything on you, not even your name. The only thing I could cuff you for is not denying that you work for Red Hood, which you should know isn’t enough considering how often I work _with_ Red Hood.”

The man finally stiffly held out his hands. “If you cuff me I’m kicking your ass once I get out of them,” he warned.

“I’m not cuffing you,” Dick repeated as he gently took one of the man’s hands in his and poured some cream over it, working it over his burns, repeating the same thing over the other. He pulled out a bandage from his belt, also slowly so that the man could see exactly what he was doing and started to wrap them. “See that wasn’t so bad was it?”

“Can I leave now?” The man asked instead of answering him.

“Why? I mean we’re both still going to be here for that drug meetup, and I really did want to see Red. And stop the meetup.”

“I’d rather not be seen acting friendly with the guy here to bust his operation when he gets here.”

“Aww I’m not so bad. I work with him sometimes, we just went over that.”

“That doesn’t help me out when this doesn’t seem to be one of those times.”

“It’s just a drug bust,” Dick waved off, “He’ll punch me a few times for it, and then we’ll just be back to our usual back and forth arguing. Don’t tell him this, but I do love those moments.”

“You talk too much,” he was informed. “And I need to leave.”

“If you’re just going to leave and tell Red about this then can I at least get a name?”

“Absolutely not,” was the firm answer he got as the man started to edge towards the exit.

“Not even just a first name? Or a pseudonym? Like Red’s real name is obviously not Red Hood.”

“No.” And then he bolted, throwing a knife he’d had stashed away somewhere towards Dick as he went. The knife wasn’t thrown with a lot of force, it was probably supposed to be more of a distraction, but it worked, because by the time he’d dodged the guy was gone.

“You may be cute but you’re also a spoilsport!” Dick still shouted in the general direction he ran.

* * *

“So how long did you wait there before realizing I moved my meeting?” Hood asked him casually a few days later while Dick was on patrol.

“Well I figured it was a long shot after that cute boy of yours ran. I did come back after a few hours just to be sure, but I didn’t stick around too long.”

“Don’t flirt with my men. I need them firmly on my side; I can’t have anyone defecting just because you’ve got a nice ass.”

“Aww don’t worry, you’re still my favorite.” Besides, Hood’s men were always so scarily loyal to him. It was a little amazing that he’d never heard of even one defecting. Sure there probably had been a few, but they hadn’t made it far enough for him to hear about it after at least.

“No worries here. I don’t think the burn scars are going to endear him to you,” Red answered with a shrug.

“How are those by the way?” So maybe Dick still felt a little bad. It wouldn’t have been as bad for Hood because Hood always wore gloves. It was honestly just supposed to keep Hood there long enough for Dick to be able to make sure he could keep Hood from leaving and going to the drug meet.

“I presume about how you’d expect them to be. I can’t keep up with each individual man’s injury. That’s his to handle.”

“Right, right. I just kind of thought that he’d be one of your more trusted guys, since you had him do the scoping.”

“Well he’s certainly wearing gloves if I send him out again.”

“Or maybe I just won’t be using the same trap.” He definitely wouldn’t be. It would never work twice.

“I’d hope not, but that doesn’t really change things on the gloves front.”

“Well were you on your way to something, or are you here to gloat about me not stopping your deal?”

“Came to give you some info,” he answered, pulling a slip of paper free from his jacket pocket.

That definitely had Dick’s attention. “About?” He still shot a hand out to grab at the paper, which Hood immediately held out of reach.

“I heard that Black Mask was going to be getting up to some illegal activities. I’ve got the date, time, and location here. I’m pretty sure his activities will cause a body count too, and I know how much you hate those.”

“Ah, you do like it when I help you with your competition.” But Hood was right, this wasn’t exactly something he could ignore.

“It helps to have a common enemy,” he agreed, finally handing Dick the paper.

Dick looked over the details. The date was pretty soon, but that wasn’t anything he wasn’t used to. “So is this going to be one of our team building exercises?”

“Hmm, maybe. We’ll see if I’m feeling the team work vibe. It’s also sometimes good for my business to know when you’ll be busy.”

“You make it sound like all I do is tail you. I’ll have you know that keeping tabs on you is only like my fourth favourite thing to do.”

“And what am I falling behind?” Hood asked curiously.

“You know my love of protecting this city knows no bounds, and let’s be honest, you’re not the worst thing for the city, even if what you do is illegal.  You should also already know my first love.”

“Skin tight body armor?” Hood guessed, and Dick could hear the smirk in his voice, even filtered through the helmet.

“Now when did this become a guessing game for what you like on me?”

“I don’t mind it,” Red allowed.

“I’m sure,” Dick smirked. “If we’re trading compliments then that leather jacket is very sexy on you.”

“I wouldn’t wear it if it wasn’t. But I believe you were telling me about your first love and the other two things you put ahead of stalking me.”

“I wouldn’t call it stalking; you’re just more interesting and fun to be around than the other crime lords.”

“I’m starting to think you’re avoiding telling me the list because I actually am at the top of it.”

“You’re cute when you’re over confident.” There never really was anything that could beat flying and falling for Dick, it was just who he was. But more than that, he was just never going to admit that he enjoyed his little meetings with Hood like this more than he probably should have. He’d talked himself into believing that it definitely wasn’t a crush. It was just an attraction added to coincidentally really liking his company.

Okay so that was exactly what a crush was, but he still wasn’t admitting that out loud.

“And yet I still hear no list. Is it over confidence if I’m right?”

“How can you be right when there’s two things you don’t know about? You can’t be both even if you are one and if you don’t know me well enough to guess the first then I have to say, I thought our relationship was deep enough for you to realize.”

“Aw c’mon, birdie. You saying I don’t rank above flying?” Hood teased, leaning a bit closer. “Let’s see, so that’s flying, the city… I got nothing for number three though.”

Dick had to resist the urge to take a step back. “Then I guess your handsome self will have to stay in the dark about it.”

“Maybe next time I’ll make you trade me that info for whatever dirt I’ve got on criminals,” Hood mused, leaning back again. “I should go though. Got an organization to run after all.”

“So soon?” Dick didn’t think he was doing a very good job at hiding his disappointment. “I guess organized crime doesn’t run itself. At least not as smoothly as yours does without you.”

“I’ll catch you around, Nightwing.” He got a salute and then Red was off, leaving him to finish patrol.

* * *

It was a while before he saw Red Hood’s follower again, but the next time he did the guy was unmasked. Although with a distinctive hair style like having a few strands of white in his bangs, and a body like that (which his Wonder Woman tank top wasn’t doing much to hide), a mask could only do so much to hide an identity. Tonight he didn’t appear to be doing anything for the Red Hood, just taking a smoke break on one of the rooftops Dick was passing by.

“You know you’re harder to come across than Hood himself?” After the incident, Dick did want to know how he was doing, and it turned out that finding the guy was near impossible. He never even managed to get a glimpse of him.

Now though he had the man’s wide eyes on him. He even nearly dropped his cigarette in surprise. “I- shit,” he reached up to touch his face like he needed to confirm he didn’t have his mask on, and grimaced when he found nothing there. “Any chance you haven’t already stored away enough pictures for facial recognition?”

“Nope,” Dick tapped his mask. “Don’t worry, I won’t arrest you. I think Hood likes you, so can’t do that.”

“...what?” And now those pretty eyes just looked confused.

“As much as I like messing up Hood’s operations, I also like working with him. Wouldn’t want him to hold this type of grudge.”

“And where do you get the impression he likes me?” He seemed to have recompensed himself, sitting up straighter and taking a drag from his cigarette.

“He let you scope. I know that doesn’t seem like a big deal, but he doesn’t trust very easily. It’s why I expected him to show up that day.”

“Shit job I did of it, missing your trap until I was already in it,” he grumbled.

“It wasn’t exactly made to be seen. How’d your hands heal up?”

He held them out palms up for Dick to see. There was some scarring, but not as bad as Dick had worried it might have been.

“I’m glad,” Dick breathed a sigh of relief. “If you’re not doing anything right now, how about I make it up to you?”

He got a suspicious glance for his efforts. “How so?”

“Relax, I was just thinking of getting some coffee right now, or maybe just stop by that good hot dog stand a few blocks away.”

“No offense, but being seen with Nightwing puts a target on my back that I don’t particularly want there.”

“I mean I could always get it and bring it back. I’ll even test it the way I do whenever I buy snacks for Hood.”

The guy arched an eyebrow at him. “Does that ever work on Hood?”

“Sometimes,” Dick shrugged, “I once managed to successfully give him coffee. He didn’t drink it because of the whole,” Dick gestured over his general face area, “But he accepted it, which I think kinda counts.”

“Fine, I guess you can buy me coffee,” he relented. “I take it two creams and two sugars.”

“Will do, be right back.” The coffee shop was luckily not that far and was the one at the end of his route that was used to him just walking in. They did give him an odd look for ordering two, but didn’t ask any questions. He was actually surprised to find that cute guy hadn’t left when he got back. He really needed to learn his name.

“Since we’re on coffee terms, can I please know at least your first name now, cute guy?”

“Don’t call me that. You mean your suit hasn’t told you yet?”

“My suit doesn’t do that. I have the pictures, but I’d need someone to analyze for me, and she currently doesn’t think this is something she needs to help me with.”

“Can’t even run facial recognition on your own. What kind of vigilante are you,” he said instead of giving him a name, looking a little uncertainty at the coffee Dick was offering him.

“One that likes working with people and can only hide so much in his suit,” Dick said, sipping at his own coffee. “If you don’t drink that, I will. I can sleep tomorrow.”

“Humor me,” he said, holding it out to Dick, and he realized that this was going to be exactly like with the burn cream and trying to give Hood anything meant to be consumed. He’d have to prove he hadn’t done something to it first.

“You know, you and Hood really have some paranoia,” Dick took a sip from the cup, licking his lips. “Wow, that poison sure does taste pretty good.”

“Don’t be a dick about it,” he grumbled, taking the coffee from him and finally drinking some.

“I haven’t tried to poison you or Hood yet, and I don’t plan to. Sometimes I just want to be nice.”

“I’ve met you all of once and it didn’t go great for me. Excuse me if I’m a little percausious.”

“It wasn’t meant for you, and I’m still sorry about that.” The guilt did still kind of eat at him.

“Why? I’m the one that kept touching it. It would have just hurt a bit if I’d left it alone after the first try.”

“Are you trying to make me feel better?” Dick bumped his shoulder lightly with his own, “Maybe I’ll just stick with calling you cute guy instead of figuring out your real name. It suits you.”

Said cute guy grimaced at the thought. “Don’t do that.”

“I’m just teasing, even if it is true. It’s a shame you have to hide your eyes behind that mask. They’re really nice.” Dick really couldn’t get enough of it, and the blush he got was an added bonus.

“You say that like you’re not wearing a mask right now.”

“Secret identity is just part of being a vigilante. Last I checked, working for a criminal organization doesn’t really require that.” Not even all of Red Hood’s workers wore masks. Actually most of them chose not to.

“Both of the jobs are illegal and come with enemies,” he shrugged. “Better not to risk it.”

“Smart. Some style choices do make you easy to recognize though,” Dick pointed at his white bangs. He figured it was best not to point out that his very nice body was also a big factor.

They talked and bickered for much longer than Dick anticipated, and he was decently shocked when the alarm on his wrist gauntlet went off. “Wow, I guess I really won’t be sleeping for a while.”

“Oh shit, didn’t realize I was taking up so much of your time. You got a day job you have to get to?”

“Yeah, this is what I love, but it doesn’t exactly pay. Don’t worry about it though, I liked talking to you. It was nice.”

“Maybe I’ll buy you coffee next time to make up for keeping you up past your bedtime,” he said with a smirk, getting to his feet and stretching precariously close to the edge, which had Dick’s fingers twitching ready to reach out and grab him, but the man seemed in total control.

“I think I’d like that. You sure you don’t want a kind vigilante to walk you home?”

“I’m sure I don’t want a vigilante to know where I live,” he replied. “You may be able to figure out my name and background, but that shouldn’t be on any files you find, and I’d like to keep it that way.”

“Your loss,” Dick shrugged, “I’m great company.”

“If you say so, bird boy.”

* * *

It turned out he did still need to get Babs to help him dig up the guy’s name. Because at first the facial recognition was coming up blank. And then with some digging he was able to find a few aliases, and so with some light begging and a promised favor he got Babs to dig up the name Jason Todd, which hadn’t even been in the names that Dick had been able to find.

“Theoretically he’s considered dead because he’s been missing so long, but that’s the only name I could find matched with this face that has a non fabricated childhood record. So congratulations, you found a missing person from nearly a decade ago,” she told him. “He’s good though. That took a lot of work to find, and I think you owe me two favors at this point.”

“I do, and I don’t know what I’d ever do without you, Babs. You’re the best.”

“I know. And I will eventually be calling in those favors,” she answered and hung up on him.

* * *

“God, a little warning next time.” Despite his complaint, Jason had barely reacted at all to Dick dropping down next to him, where he was creeping through a dark alleyway. And Dick noted the mask and how quiet Jason was talking and figured he was interrupting business.

“What are we spying on?”

“Not your business, Birdie,” he hissed out, leaning around the corner and then ducking back.

“You know I can help if you let me, Jay.”

That got him a sharp look, so maybe that wasn’t the best way to convince Jason. “Go be nosey somewhere else.”

“Or maybe I can stand here and listen with you,” Dick grinned. There was just something about Jason that made it so fun to tease him.

“Yeah, because you don’t stand out,” Jason grumbled, giving him a pointed look, and Dick kind of wished he could see his eyes to get the full expression.

“I blend with the shadows, more than you are if I do say so myself.”

“I can take this off and look like someone just walking by,” he tapped on his mask, “you do that and you’ve exposed Nightwing’s secret identity. So I blend in better.”

“Shhhh, we’re missing what they’re saying.” Dick pressed himself against the wall and moved just the slightest bit closer to Jason.

He could see the tightness in Jason’s jaw as he ground his teeth together, but he didn’t respond, instead scooting closer to the edge of the alleyway, Dick following close behind until they could hear voices from down the street float over, and from the sound of it they were an up and coming gang, planning to make their mark with an attack on Red Hood’s men.

Dick couldn’t really help but snort quietly at that, which got him an elbow to the ribs from Jason. They sounded pretty confident about it too.

Jason waited until he’d gotten all the details and they’d walked away to move, exiting the alleyway and glaring at the spot they’d been standing. “Idiots,” he grumbled as he started walking with Dick falling into step next to him.

“They really are if they think that’ll work.”

“I assume you’re not busy since you’re following me around. Should I buy you that coffee I owe you then?”

“If you want; I just happen to think you’re neat,” Dick grinned at him.

“Neat?” Jason repeated back slowly.

“Neat,” Dick said again like there was nothing wrong with that description.

“... okay. I’ll meet you on that rooftop,” he pointed, “what’s your coffee order?”

“It’s actually the same as yours. Pretty convenient, right?”

“Get going before someone sees me with you,” he answered, peeling off his mask.

“Now Jay, talk like that and I might begin to think you don’t like being seen with me.” Still Dick pulled out his grapple and shot it up to latch onto the building.

“It’s bad for my reputation,” Jason answered just as he was pulled up, waving and walking off.

About ten minutes later Jason was doing an impressive job of balancing their drinks and climbing up the fire escape before hauling himself onto the rooftop Dick was waiting on, passing him a coffee.

“Thanks. Don’t think that just because you’ve repaid me the coffee that you’re going to lose me.”

“I somehow didn’t imagine I would,” he said, sipping at his own cup.

“Good, because I found that you were a pretty good reason to lose sleep over.”

“You also hard core stalked me to pull up that name,” Jason answered.

“It definitely wasn’t easy. I can’t believe Red found a missing person and never reported it, how awful,” he shook his head in mock disapproval, sarcasm laced all through his tone.

“I think I’m actually dead at this point,” Jason corrected. “And it wasn’t meant to be easy, it was meant for you not to be able to find.”

“Almost didn’t,” Dick admitted, “But you’re also the cutest zombie I’ve ever seen.”

“We’ve been over this. You’re not supposed to call me cute. I’ve spent too much time becoming a badass to be called cute.”

“Who said you can’t be both?”

“I did. Literally just a few seconds ago.”

“How closed minded of you, I think you’re both and both are great.”

Jason rolled his eyes and took another sip from his coffee. “Piss off, you’re not going to talk me into agreeing with you.”

“Lame,” but Dick was still hiding a smile behind his cup.

“Whatever, pretty boy.”

It was nice to have someone to just throw insults and compliments and well, just flirt with. It actually reminded him a bit of what he did with Hood, but with Jason he didn’t have to leave part way through. It was also a nice added bonus that he could gauge all of Jason’s reactions and see all his expressions. It was just nice. He did end up staying with Jason a little too late again, but he could always take a nap later.

It was actually Jason trying to muffle a yawn that reminded him that he should be leaving. “I’m so glad crime pays and that I don’t have to wake up for a day job like you.”

“Even if it does, I still like my day job. You should get to bed.”

“You sure? I’m totally down to hear more about your day job,” Jason grinned at him. “Since you found my secret identity, it only seems fair.”

“Your job and identity are interconnected. My day job and Nightwing have nothing to do with each other.”

“If my identity went so well with my job you wouldn’t have had to search for it so hard.”

“You’re still not figuring out mine. I like keeping that secret.”

“And I liked keeping mine secret too.” If Jason weren’t working in a criminal organization he might have even felt a little bad about that, but as it was he wasn’t arresting him and that seemed like a good enough trade off.

“Maybe next time I’ll get a meal to make it up to you instead of just coffee,” Dick offered.

“It’ll start to seem like dates if you do that,” Jason pointed out.

“What? You don’t want to go on a date with little ol’ me?” Really he’d do the same with Red if it weren’t for the helmet.

“I usually like to know the names of people I’m dating.”

“I think there’s a lot of people out there who would be just fine dating only Nightwing.”

“A lot of people out there who would be fine fucking Nightwing, you mean,” Jason corrected, looking him up and down. “Not sure how many people want to start a relationship with Nightwing with no guarantee of finding out who he is under the mask though.”

It stung a little, because that was the main factor in why most attempts at starting a relationship were so hard for him, but he kept smiling. “Date or not, I’m still offering food, if you don’t want it when we see each other again then I guess I’m having seconds.”

“I’m down for free food. I don’t have a day job after all,” Jason smirked at him.

“Don’t say that like Red doesn’t pay you well.”

“Oh you’re spying on my paychecks too?” Jason raised an eyebrow.

“No, I just know Red’s too good to underpay his workers.”

Jason shrugged. “Crime pays. It’s why there’s more villains than heroes.”

“Either way, expect food next time. Now go get some sleep.”

“If I started guessing your day job would you tell me if I got it right?” Jason asked, getting to his feet and stretching.

“Nope, but you’re still free to try, I guess.”

Jason looked at him with an intensity that made Dick want to look away, brows drawing together as he considered it. “Well you said you liked your job, so I’m going to guess it’s something you help people with,” he mused. “Off the top of my head I’d guess a first responder of some kind.”

“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t also enjoy retail or customer service.” It sounded even ridiculous to his own ears.

“Amazing you can say that with a straight face. I’d go for cop or paramedic actually, you don’t have the body of a firefighter.”

Jason was either better at reading people than he thought or he needed to be more careful with his civilian identity. He still kept up his playful tone. “What do you mean I don’t have the body of a firefighter? I could absolutely lift people and carry them out of buildings.”

“With the help of a grappling hook and without the weight of a fireman’s uniform I’d buy that you can carry one or two people. I’m leaning paramedic though, because cops carry guns and that doesn’t seem like your style.”

“You still so easily dismissed customer service. What if I really liked making coffee?” He was internally glad Jason had also dismissed his real job though.

“You’re pushing too hard for it now. I’m never going to believe you’re customer service. You wanna give me a lift down from here though or do I have to climb?”

“Come here,” Dick gestured with his arms open for Jason.

Jason rolled his eyes, but still stepped into Dick’s arms with a put upon sigh.

Dick tried to tell himself on the way down that he definitely wasn’t enjoying how warm and secure Jason felt pressed up against him because he knew who he wanted and while Jason was very similar to Red, he just wasn’t Red.

“Catch you around, Nightwing,” Jason said with a wave when they reached the ground and he stepped out of Dick’s arms.

“Yeah, see you.” And he tried not to let his disappointment show.

* * *

“You really need to watch your back more,” Hood greeted, dropping down behind him and shooting out the kneecap of someone who had been about to shoot Dick from behind.

“But then what will you do.” He was right though, that could’ve potentially been really bad.

“Can’t argue with that logic I guess,” Hood answered, taking down another one of the people surrounding Dick and shifting so they were standing back to back.

“So what have you been up to? I feel like it’s been ages since I last saw you,” Dick said as he punched one of the thugs in the gut.

“Well you may have heard there’s been a newbie gang after my guys. Which wouldn’t usually be an issue, but they’re getting support from Black Mask. So I’ve been a bit busy,” he answered conversationally, shooting the gun out of another man’s hand. “That’s also why I’m here now, because these guys are from that gang, and so they’re targeting you too.”

“I just assumed I was a target for most gangs. Glad to help you out a bit though.”

“You’re apparently associated with me now. Congrats,” he said as they got the last of the men down. “We’ve handled most of the gang though. I think this is them getting desperate, so my problems shouldn’t be bothering you for too much longer.”

“Can’t say being associated with a criminal mastermind is too good for my rep, but I guess I’m glad that it’s you rather than anyone else.”

“Stop working with me if you don’t want the association,” Hood answered, just a tad too stiffly, proving that he did also like working with Dick, even if he didn’t like to admit it.

“Nah, I just also happen to like you too much.”

“Even after you nearly got shot for me? How sweet,” Red mocked him, but some of the tension had left his shoulders, and he even helped Dick put restraints on all the downed men, so Dick would take it for the win that it was.

“Like I said, I just happen to like you too much. It  might actually be considered a health risk.”

“Your night life is already a health risk,” Hood scoffed. And then he froze, and Dick found himself, not for the first time, wishing he could see the other man’s expression. Or even just where he was looking. He had to get everything from tone (which had taken a while to get a grasp on with the voice filter in the helmet) and body language, because the red helmet was never willing to give anything away for him. “Your arm, did you get hit?” Hood asked, stepping over for a closer look, and holding Dick’s arm in a grip much gentler than one would expect from a crime lord, and when Dick looked down he was indeed bleeding. It was only a graze, and through the adrenaline of the fight he’d barely even felt it.

“Huh, I guess I did.” Dick tried lifting and moving his arm slightly and while he was able to move it, he did wince a little. “I don’t think it’s that bad.”

Red didn’t sound very impressed. “It needs stitches. C’mon birdie, I’ll patch you up, but let’s do it somewhere else so the cops can collect these guys.”

Dick would’ve denied that it was actually that bad, but he wasn’t going to argue if Hood was going to patch him up. “Well we’re definitely not going to my place, but I’ll be happy to follow you anywhere.”

“I was just thinking a rooftop. You’ve got needle and thread on you, right?”

“Mayhaps.” He definitely did.

“Alright let’s go then.” They went a few streets away from where they’d left the gang members and Hood grappled them up to the roof, holding his hand out expectantly for the medical supplies once they were settled.

Dick pulled them out of his belt with his uninjured arm and handed them to Hood. “You’re not cutting my sleeve off for this, are you?”

“Oh absolutely, so if it’s gonna do something to me for that you better disable it,” he answered, taking out one of his knives.

Dick sighed, pressing a few buttons on his glove. “You know this isn’t how I pictured you undressing me.”

“Really? Because with all the traps in your suit taking a knife to it is the only way I can picture myself attempting to take it off of you,” Red told him as he did just that to the sleeve of his suit, and then got to work cleaning the injury.

Dick hissed slightly but managed to not move during the process. “Thanks, I always thought a sleeveless look would be great,” he grit out.

“Don’t be such a baby, I haven’t even started the painful part yet,” Red grumbled, threading the needle.

“Wrong, it’s all the painful part.”

“It’s a wonder you survive anything. Try not to tense up,” and that was all the warning he felt the need to give before starting to stitch up Dick’s arm.

Dick forced himself relax, but still let out a whine.

“Knock it off. I’ve got a fractured rib and you don’t hear me bitching about it. You got the injury without this much complaint,” Hood intoned.

“You have a _what_ ? Why didn’t you stay home? _Why aren’t you healing?”_

“Because I have things to do, like saving your ass tonight,” he answered, finishing up the stitches and covering them with a bandage.

“You can’t save me if you’re not taking care of yourself. You’re taking the rest of the night off.”

“No I’m not,” Hood answered flatly.

“Yes you are. I’ll even take you to my place.” Well he’d take him to one of his safe houses which was still kind of dumb given who Hood was but he trusted Hood.

“You’d compromise a safe house over a fractured rib? Thanks for the offer, but I’m good. Things have been busy for me with this new gang, and tonight is no exception.”

“I shouldn’t be the only one out of the two of us that gets help. Besides, I don’t mind a little sacrifice when it’s for the right people.”

“It’s already bandaged up. I’m fine. The point of mentioning it was to get you to stop complaining about your arm.”

“And now I’m complaining about your lack of self care,” Although Dick wasn’t really one to talk, “Guess if you’re not taking the night off then you’re getting a tag along.”

“As much as I’d enjoy slumming it with you for the night, I wasn’t messing around about having things to do.”

“I know, and now you have some extra help, I won’t even ruin it for you, y’know unless it’s really bad.” Maybe his not-crush on Red Hood was messing with his ability to be objective when it came to the man’s crimes, but Dick still stood by the fact that Red Hood was the most morally sound crime boss there was.

“You and I have different definitions of ‘really bad’, so I’m going to quantify that as a really bad idea.”

“And yet it’s the best one I have because you’re going to have a hell of a time getting rid of me.” Even if his arm was a little cold.

“Go home or keep crime fighting, but you’re not welcome in my meetings. It takes away a bit of my credibility to have Nightwing standing there listening in.”

“Shouldn’t your men know we’re not on bad terms? Or well not completely bad terms. I know at least some of your men have to know that.”

“Yeah, they all have orders not to seriously harm you,” Hood said casually with a shrug, like he wasn’t revealing something huge to Dick, “that doesn’t mean you can sit in on illegal meetings though, not all of which are with my men.”

Dick felt like he was losing this battle even as he felt his chest swell. “You know you’re real sweet for a crime boss?”

“Now you’re just spouting bullshit.”

“No, you’re sweet.” Dick sighed, his fingers just barely ghosting over Hood’s ribs. “Take it easy for the next few nights, okay?”

“I’ll take it easy when you do,” Hood countered.

“Then I guess we’ll both be staying careful the next few nights. Don’t hesitate to find me if you need help.”

“I respect you too much to lie and pretend I’ll do that, and I think you should know that by now.”

“And you know I’m pretty bad at it too. I guess we’re both injured and hopeless.”

“Good luck out there.” Red patted his shoulder before shooting off a line to grapple away.

“You too, and be careful.”

* * *

All Dick wanted to do after getting home from a long shift at work was nap before he went out again in costume. What he got instead was Red bleeding on his couch. “Oh my god, Red! What happened to you? No wait don’t tell me yet, let me get the first aid.” He ran to his bedroom to grab the kit and ran back out to patch up whatever needed patching and then realized he wasn’t wearing a mask. “Oh fuck. Uh, I, a completely normal cop, always offer to patch up crime bosses that show up randomly in my apartment?” Even as he said that he was already scanning Red for the sources of bleeding. He’d been shot both in the thigh and in the shoulder, and he wasn’t actually sure that he was conscious with the helmet on until he got a grumbled answer.

“What the hell? You’ve gotta be fucking kidding me.”

“Oh, shut up and let me take off your jacket so I can patch you up. I’m cutting your clothes up.” Dick pulled at jacket on the uninjured side, hoping Red would cooperate a bit.

“Absolutely do not do that, you’ll set something off,” he said, weakly shoving Dick’s hand away.

“Well I’m not just going to let you bleed out on my couch, tell me how to turn it all off.”

And then, like an idiot, Hood actually sat up shakily to remove the jacket himself before collapsing back onto the couch.

“Why are you like this? I’m starting with your arm and I still have to cut that sleeve off.”

“Go for it.”

Dick did his best to work fast and stop the bleeding. Cleaning, stitching and patching him up and putting his arm in a makeshift sling. His leg was a little easier to deal with but Red was so quiet that Dick had to wonder if he passed out. “You still with me, Red?” He asked as he finished bandaging the leg.

“Yeah. Just processing,” was the delayed response he got.

“Processing what? Could it be the fact that now you have to stay here because there’s no way you’re going back out there with how much blood you’ve lost?”

“The fact that the random apartment I broke into to lay low belongs to Nightwing’s police officer alter ego,” he managed to say pretty flatly for someone who also sounded on the verge of passing out.

“We’ll talk about it later, just horizontal yourself and get some rest.” Dick really wasn’t looking forward to that talk though.

“I’m not gonna tell anyone,” he mumbled as he complied.

“I know you’re not.” Because while he really shouldn’t, he did trust Red to some degree. He went to grab a spare blanket and a pillow for him and kind of regretted not offering him some clothes but he sounded like he was already nodding off. He figured the helmet had to be uncomfortable for sleeping in, but just because his identity had been compromised didn’t mean Red was going to do the same with his own, and even without that Dick didn’t wanna find out what that helmet would do to him if he tried to remove it.

It was a few more hours before Red stirred back to consciousness. Dick had forgone his plans to go out for the night in favor of making sure Red was okay. “So… a cop, huh? Sounds about right.”

“Don’t tell Jason, wouldn’t want him rubbing it in my face that he was right. How you feeling? Need pain killers?”

“Already said I wasn’t telling anyone,” he answered, wincing as he reached for his belt and dug out some pills. “I think mine will be a bit more heavy duty than some aspirin or whatever you’re keeping here.”

“I don’t think I want to know what they are.”

“Only illegal without a prescription,” he offered.

“I guess I can live with that. I’d offer to let you stay the night but I’m guessing you’re going to want to get somewhere where you can take off the helmet.” Which was a little disappointing because he kind of wanted to make sure that Red healed properly even if he should technically be freaking out more about Red finding out who he was, but he knew Red wouldn’t even be able to take the pills he’d gotten out with Dick right there.

“Yeah, I think that would be for the best.” And then Hood leaned forward like he was getting a closer look at him. “Oh my God, you’re that cop that actually tried to arrest me.”

“What can I say,” Dick shrugged, “I’m persistent and drawn to you. I’ll give you a ride as far as I can if you want to get someone to pick you up from there.”

“Please, my men don’t know where I live,” and that sounded like an eye roll. “I’ll manage.”

“I assumed there was at least one person you trusted enough to help you out when shit like this happens. I’m still giving you a ride part way there.” He’d have to change into his Nightwing garb.

“No, it’s fine. I’ve got a place close by I can get to.”

Dick sighed. “You’re the worst.”

“And yet you still patched me up instead of letting me bleed out or arresting me.”

“You’re the worst because I’d like to have some way of knowing or assurance that you’re actually going to get home fine. Sorry to break it to you but your word’s not enough.” The idiot probably would’ve tried to grapple all the way home if it weren’t for his arm injury.

“Well you wouldn’t really have that even if you gave me a ride since you wouldn’t be taking me all the way there.”

“Yeah but I’d feel better about it since you’d be closer.”

“You don’t know how close I am now.”

“I don’t,” Dick sighed again. “I still don’t like it.”

And then Red decided to do something almost as shocking as showing up on his couch. He reached out and grabbed Dick’s hand, giving it a small squeeze. “I’ll be fine. You made sure of it.”

“Why do I feel like our relationship just devolved into me giving into you.” Dick returned the squeeze with a small smile, “Take it easy out there because I know you won’t.”

“I’ll try. I’ll also buy you a new couch since I bled all over this one.”

“It’s fine, I was due for a new one anyway.” He probably could’ve survived with it for another few months before it gave out but still.

“No, I know how much cops make in this city. I’ll get it for you.”

“You don’t owe me anything other than getting yourself home safe,” Dick reiterated.

“I’ll do both,” he shrugged his good shoulder and then got to his feet, still a little unsteady.

“You’re ridiculous. Use the money to get yourself a real doctor instead.” Dick helped him over to the window, where he no doubt came in from, and helped him onto the fire escape.

“I’ve got enough for both.” And then he was off.

And sure enough the next day he got home from work and there was a new couch in his living room, nicer than the one he’d had before and red because subtlety was a lost art. And there was a note that simply read _made it home safe._

Dick was probably more glad for the note than the couch.

* * *

He didn’t see Jason again for a while, but when he did it was a lot like their second meeting, where the man was just taking a smoke break on a rooftop.

“Long time no see. How have you been since I last saw you?”

“Oh you know, busy. I think we’ve finally scared off that gang for good. Or what’s left of them I guess. So I might finally be catching a break.”

“Finally,” Dick sighed a breath in relief. Red was just coming out of that more injured than he was used to seeing him and it was a little unsettling. “This one felt like it lasted longer than ones before.”

“Cause they were getting funding, weapons, and extra men from Black Mask. Might have to finally do something about him if shit like this is gonna keep happening.”

“I won’t complain if you guys do, might even help a little.” It would definitely make his job easier if Red helped.

“Nah, you wouldn’t like how we’d take care of him,” Jason answered, putting out his cigarette stub.

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds like I should definitely get involved. You still up for that dinner I promised you?”

“Sure, what are we having?”

“Hotdog stand a block away? They’ll put almost anything on it.”

“I know the one. I’m still not putting that kind of target on my back though, so you’ll have to bring them back here.”

“I would’ve expected nothing less.” A short trip later and he was back with two chilli dogs wrapped in bacon.

“God I love these things,” Jason told him and then proceeded to make an almost obscene sound after taking a bite out of his. And he hadn’t even made Dick take a bite first, so clear improvement.

“Good,” Dick laughed, “if you didn’t I’d have to accuse you of having no taste.”

“Please, that stand is the best in all of Gotham.”

“It is, and they’re used to seeing me a lot too.” Dick let the night fill with stories of what they’d been up to since they last saw each other. Jason, like usual, didn’t really go into much detail on anything, but it still felt nice.

“So I’m actually kind of glad I found you today, because I remembered seeing something in your file that definitely needs to be talked about.”

Jason glanced at him with furrowed brows. “...which is?”

“It’s your birthday in like half an hour and you were just going to spend the night smoking on this roof, weren’t you?”

Jason just blinked at him, staring blankly for a moment before a light seemed to go off in his head. “Oh, right, I guess it is.” He shrugged one shoulder. “It’s not really a big deal.”

“Wrong. It is absolutely a big deal and we’re going to celebrate the best way we can while you don’t wanna be seen with me. I’m gonna go get beer, don’t go anywhere.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Jason told him, lips tilting into a slight frown. “I don’t really celebrate my birthday. Never have.”

“That just sounds wrong.” It made sense given what Jason’s record said, with his abusive dad and drug addicted mom, but it still sounded sad. “It’s good to celebrate yourself every once in a while. Everyone deserves to be reminded that there are people that like having them around.”

“Should I be expecting you to force me into other holidays as well then?”

Dick shrugged, “Maybe. This one’s specific to you though so we definitely have to celebrate.”

“Fine, I guess I can go for some free beer.”

“Yes! I promise not to come back with streamers and balloons!” He called out as he jumped off the roof.

He came back with a dozen because he really didn’t know how heavy Jason drank. “I think the only thing missing is a real present, but there’s not much of a chance of me being able to get that now, so I guess my company is just going to have to do. Happy Birthday, Jay.”

“Thanks I guess. And for the record, I consider free alcohol to be a real present.”

“And I consider free alcohol to be a necessity but I guess there’s no fixing that difference of opinion.” Dick cracked open two cans for them and sat himself down next to Jason. It wasn’t much different from what they were already doing but it felt nicer.

Predictably, two and a half cans in and Dick had to lean against Jason for support. He really needed to stop.

“Yeah, I don’t think you should be grappling home tonight,” Jason, who was on his fourth, laughed. “You got a safe house I can take you to?”

“Mmmaayybee. I’m good here though.” Dick took another sip to prove his point.

“Yeah, but we aren’t spending the whole night on this roof, you’ve gotta go home at some point,” Jason reminded him, finishing off his own can. He didn’t look to be too affected by the alcohol, maybe just a bit more relaxed than normal and more willing to smile at Dick. Like he was doing now.

“No I don’t. No work tomorrow, just sleep.”

“I’m not saying I’ve gotta take you home right now, we can stay out for another hour or so, but after that will you tell me where to take you?”

“Mmmmokay. Guess you need sleep too.” Dick felt pretty content to just curl around Jason though, but the still working part of his brain told him that Jason wouldn’t let him do that all night.

They sat around for a while longer, chatting and leaning against each other before Jason finally peeled himself out of Dick’s arms and stood up, holding out a hand to him. “Okay, I think it’s time for you to tell me where I’m taking you.”

Dick took his hand to stood and after stopping at three beers, he was sober enough to not fall onto Jason, but still drunk enough to want to lean against him as he thought. “That way,” he pointed in the direction of his closest safehouse because he thought about it before he got drunk and had this answer planned.

Jason nodded and stole his grapple gun, following Dick’s directions until they were in front of the door to his safe house.

“Did you have good night?” Dick asked before Jason could leave.

Jason gave him a soft smile and ruffled his hair affectionately which did funny things to his stomach. “I did. Thanks for doing that for me.”

“Any time,” Dick grinned.

“I’ll see you around, okay? Good luck with the hangover.”

* * *

“Hey, birdie, perfect timing, I was just about to get some food. You want pizza?” Jason called up to him as Dick swung by, almost missing him walking through an alleyway.

Dick immediately dropped down. “Did I hear pizza?”

“You did. What kind do you want?”

“I’ll eat anything so it’s up to you.”

“Pepperoni and olives good with you then? Cause that’s what I was planning to get.”

“I’ll be up there waiting for you,” Dick said as an affirmation. It was pretty boring of an order in Dick’s opinion, but not everyone grew up on circus food.

Jason showed up a little while later with pizza and sodas, dropping down next to Dick. “Best pizza in Gotham, I guarantee it. Family there’s been running the shop since before I was born,” he told Dick as he took a slice.

Dick happily pulled off his glove, because no one should eat with that glove with all the things he normally has to touch, and happily grabbed a slice. “Best pizza with the best guy, can’t think of a better night.”

“I don’t know, maybe if we ended it at your place, might improve it a bit. Or do we need a few more dates for that? Cause I’m willing to bend on if this is our first or not.”

Dick paused at that. He hadn’t thought that he’d been leading Jason on, he flirted with almost everyone after all, but maybe in hindsight it did look like that. He wasn’t even sure how accidental it was, considering his feelings for Red and how similar the two were. God did he fuck up. “Jason- I- I’m sorry but I don’t think we can be together.”

And he hated how he could see Jason’s expression fall before he quickly covered it up with a tenseness to his body that Dick hadn’t really seen since their first meeting. “No, it’s my bad, sorry. I misread the situation, don’t worry about it,” he said, not making eye contact.

Dick had to put the pizza down because he wasn’t going to hold it for this conversation. “Jason, don’t get me wrong, I like you, I really do, and I’m probably going to regret saying no to you because you’re just- you’re perfect, Jay, but it’s just-” Dick sighed, he hated this, “I just don’t think I’ll ever be able to get over Red and that’s not fair to you.”

And that had Jason’s eyes snapping over to him, his mouth parted in shock. “Red… Red Hood. You’ve got a thing for Red Hood?” He clarified.

It was a weird shift but it was also probably weird to be rejected for your boss. “Since the day I met him.”

“I… okay, I’m going to spell this out for you, because I am not getting rejected for myself. Dick, I am Red Hood. But sometimes, it’s easier to not be recognized, and I go out as Jason Todd. But I can prove I’m Red Hood because a while ago I ended up on your couch with two bullets in me, and I’ve still got the scars from it.” And then he was tugging on the collar of his shirt shirt to show off the scar in his shoulder from exactly where Dick had pulled a bullet out of Hood.

Dick wasn’t sure if he was breathing, but he was reaching out to touch the scar and it was in fact, a real scar that was in the exact same place he pulled a bullet out of Red. “You...” And he really hadn’t been breathing before then. “It’s been you the whole time.”

“It’s been me the whole time. So now we’re even on the secret identity trade off.” Jason was watching him a little nervously as he waited for Dick to process everything he’d just found out.

“God dammit, Jay.” And he was up and kissing Jason with everything he had, getting a startled sound out of Jason that he was sure the other man would deny making, before Jason reached up to tangle his fingers in Dick’s hair and started kissing back.

When Dick eventually resurfaced for air, he realized he’d managed to find his way into Jason’s lap and his hands fisted in his jacket. “I can’t believe.”

“Wait, since we first met?” Jason burst out laughing. “Didn’t I try to kill you the first time we met?”

“I don’t think you realize how sexy your badassery comes off.” Or maybe Dick just had a thing for the strong tough types.

“Oh my god,” Jason kept laughing. “You didn’t even know what my face looked like, and I was trying to kill you, and you were into it.”

“I didn’t know what your face looked like up until five minutes ago. Clearly I’m just drawn to you,” Dick huffed.

Jason grinned at him before leaning in to kiss him again.

* * *

“You’re the worst. It’s so early,” Dick complained as Jason got out of bed.

“Are you sure? Because I seem to recall you falling for me. Twice. Doesn’t seem like the worst to me,” Jason answered, and Dick could just hear the obnoxious grin in his voice.

“You’re never letting me forget that, are you?” Dick groaned, pulling the pillow over his head.

“No, never,” Jason agreed.

“Then you really are the worst. You’re perfect but the wooooorst.”

“Yeah yeah, I’m going to make breakfast. You can sleep a little longer while it’s cooking.”

“I change my mind. I see why I fell for you twice.”

“I had a feeling you’d say something like that.”


End file.
